1 Brimham - The Central Area A fine circuit with some of the most travelled problems at Brimham and some neglected goodies. A varied array of edge and block challenges. Walking up the main track towards the cafe one passes a broad grassy area with a big tower on the right (looking down) and a long (usually very well chalked) wall on the left. The left wall is the Niche Area and is on the return leg of this circuit. Just past the Cafe and Brimham House, where the path turns right towards The Dancing Bear and the Beyond the Cafe Circuit, is a pointy block on the left. WHITE ROSE ESP POTTY THE PROW CAFE CRACKED BUTTRESS CLEFT BUTTRESS ATLANTIS CASTLE NICHE The Prow The Prow 5+ SDS. Climb the block using both arêtes. Straight in front is a set of big block/pinnacles. The Potty Area. These are above the Lover’s Leap Area. There are some good problems on the face overlooking the drop.
Transcript
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Brimham - The Central Area A fine circuit with some of the most travelled problems at Brimham and some neglected goodies. A varied array of edge and block challenges. Walking up the main track towards the cafe one passes a broad grassy area with a big tower on the right (looking down) and a long (usually very well chalked) wall on the left. The left wall is the Niche Area and is on the return leg of this circuit. Just past the Cafe and Brimham House, where the path turns right towards The Dancing Bear and the Beyond the Cafe Circuit, is a pointy block on the left. WHITE ROSE ESP POTTY THE PROW CAFE
The Prow The Prow 5+ SDS. Climb the block using both arêtes. Straight in front is a set of big block/pinnacles. The Potty Area. These are above the Lover’s Leap Area. There are some good problems on the face overlooking the drop.
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The Potty Area
Potty Scoop 4 * The Easy Scoop. The Potty 6a+ ** Move up rightwards from the left side of the low roof and then use the break to reach for the Potty.
Pottytime 6a+ * Climb the flake but remember to save something for the top-out. Pottyside 6b SDS at roof. Up to hole then left and finish up The Potty. Gonna Need the Potty 6c+ * SDS. Blunt arête and pocket to sloping ledge. Push it up the faint flake. The block to the right yields a couple of problems but nothing recorded.
Back around this block can be seen the iron bars that prevent a leap down Lover’s Leap Chimney. A more conventional descent is a path down the gully on the right. This leads down to The White Rose Area but, as you go down the gully, look right to the bulging block that forms The ESP Block.
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The ESP Block. A bulging prow above an unhelpful block. High - bring a lot of mats. One Love 7b+ ** Step off the boulder to reach the flake under the roof then up and left using the arête and slopers with increasing trepidation. E.S.P. 7b+ *** SDS on the right and pull round the bulge to reach the flake-like feature and up. Equally scary - 7a+ from standing. Pocket Arête 6a Arête on right side of the block.
White Rose Area First is a low wall, below ESP, that has a high tower to its right with a scooped wall at its base. Descend the gully and turn right (facing out). White Rose Flake 5 (VS 5a) * Big flake and crack to just right of the capstone. Across to the right is:
Arthur 6c+ ** The puzzling ‘scoop’ to reach the undercut flake. Pull for the top, move across to George or retreat – your choice... George II 4+ * Climb the wall just to the right with a wary pull onto the ledge. High.
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To the right is Old School Wall. This is a fine little wall when clean though it is a bit neglected at present. It wouldn’t take too long to bring it back to life.
Tinies Traverse 7a * Low L-R traverse on tinies to easier ground and join R arête. Little By Little 7a * Wall to the left of the groove. Old Boys Still Groove 6b ** Groove in the centre of the block on small edges.
School-Yard 5 Wall on diagonal holds. Right Arête 4+ * Arête. On the block behind is a project – the gritty, grotty arête out of the pit. On the downhill side is: Crack and Flake 6a+ SDS under the suspended block. Out using crack and right to the flake. A fun problem though the top has become grassy. Back to the right, crossing the descent gully, is Lover’s Leap with its obvious chimney
Lover’s Leap The first problem is at the far left end of the right wall of the chimney. What is holding up the overhead blocks?? The Dinky Hole 6b Use dinks to gain the hole and breaks. Escape L with care. A bit green. Better problems are to be found around the corner.
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Bilberry Jam Start/Tight Fit 5+ The right arête of the chimney to the first ledge. From a SDS on right side is 6a+ known as Tight Fit Orange Crush 5 The hanging crack. Lover’s Leap Chimney Traverse 5+ From crack left around arête and up. Anniversary Crack 4 The wide crack. Anniversary Arête 6c ** The right arête of the crack. Stepped Buttress Start 5+ * Centre of the slab to the right using a pocket. Love Handle 6a * Right arête on the left side. Monostate 6c/+ ** The right (overhanging) side of the right arête. Above and to the right is a 4+ cleft, a fin to a grotty finish 4, a 3 crack, and a couple of 5 arêtes – landings are very blocky and they seldom get done. However, there is also one notable exception. Super Thuggy Crack 7c The roof crack. Name unknown?
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Continuing to the right one reaches the well-named Cracked Buttress. In front of this is a pair of blocks.
Trackside Boulder By the side of the track at a low level and to the left of the buttress. A slabby block but its left side is steep.
Left Arête 5+ Often green. Sidestep 5 Ledge then up and left Darkside 5+ ** Ledge then up arête Trackside Arête 6a * The arête direct from a standing start. The Rightside of the arête is 6b. Trackside Left 4+ ** Pad the left side of the slab. Trackside Right 5 * As it says.
Heart Arête 5 The right edge. Unfortunately this has become dirty. Across to the right is a steeper block
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Triangular Roof/Racheal’s Box Triang Scoop 4 Scoop in the slab left of the roof. Grassy. The Archer 7c Sit-start at the base and follow the lip of the roof rightwards to finish as for Rachael's Box. Triangular Roof 6c+ * Start on the flake and climb out to the apex of the lip via the small holds along the flake line. Rachael’s Box Variation 7a+ * As for the following problem but pull over on left side of the arête. Rachael’s Box 7a+ ** Start on the flake and climb out to the apex of the lip via the small holds along the flake line to pull over on the right side of the arête.
Around to the right is an impressive arête.
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Bow Wall 6a+ Wall to left of the prow using arête and a sloper. Longbow 7a *** The impressive arête from sitting in the breaks. Follow the arête above using some precarious hooking and good slopers to the rounded top, with a hidden jug right where you need it. Quiver 4 * The flake in the corner to the right. Little Tower 5 The small block Behind Bow Wall.
Behind and just right of this last problem, on the main edge is: Rounded Arete 5 As it says! To the right is a hanging block. Hanging Block 5+ A tricky problem. On a block below this and behind Rachael’s Box. L Arête 4+ Centre off low break 6a R Arête from low 5+ To the right is a high arête above a bad landing – 5+ Over a couple of blocks to the right is an arête behind a tree Tree Arête 6a Start on a sloper and gain the break then left over the roof.
To the right is a deep grotty corner right of the roof 3+, a deep crack 3, and the right side of the arête is 5 but dirty.
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A broad grassy break leads from just right towards a triplet of tall pinnacle/towers separated by a T shaped cleft running between and behind the forward two – the mighty Cleft Buttress. Here problems tend to be the bottom sections of routes or possible routes with escape being made by ledges or a drop. This latter method is facilitated by flat landings. The obvious corner/crack of Lancet Crack on the back wall of the cleft (straight ahead looking down the forward cleft) is a useful identifying feature.
The Back (North) Pinnacle The one at the back starting with its left wall (out of the cleft).
Gordon’s Wall 6a+ Rounded bulges and a big reach. Syrett’s Rib 6a ** The blunt rib. A master’s piece. Depth Charge 7b * A very hard traverse along the break and into the depths past the obvious hanging Lancet Crack. Stone Age 6a The worrying arête to the right of Lancet Crack to good holds and an escape. Other lines are possible and may have been done? However, no records have been found.
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The Left (South West) Pinnacle. Side Wall Starting around to the left at the arête opposite Syrett’s Rib.
Chip Butty Left 4+ * L side of the arête Chip Butty Right 5+ * Right side. Womb with a View 5+ Crack and breaks to ledge. Howard’s End 5+ Wall past pocket and break to sloping ledge.
Angel’s Fear 6a Left of the arête using a pinch and dish to each upper break. The Mirky Way Kid 6b+ ** Long traverse along the break to Cleft Butty. Going the other way L-R and finishing up Clingon is The Longest Journey – a good 7a * Front Wall Around the corner is:
Clingon 6c * Climb the arête to the sloping ledge. Jumper’s Traverse 7b ** Along the break rightwards to the arête deep in the gully opposite Lancet Crack. Mirky Way 4+ The deep crack – or not!
Cleft Dyno 7a ** From the break to the ledge. Murky Rib 6c * The arête. Murky Rib Sitter is 7a ** - as above but from a low SDS.
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Cleft Wall Left The left wall of the cleft is hard to shoot. Problems are best described rather than indicated on the picture. Murky Rib Right 5+ AKA Cleft Rib The right side – easy once sorted. A SDS is allegedly 7a. Jumper’s End 6a Traverse from left to right arêtes. The last lap of Jumper’s Traverse Mantelshelf Blues 6b Wall to the right of the arête. Thin pull and high step. Tin Can Alley 7b+ * The centre of the wall from a deep pocket. Pressure Drop 7a * Right side of the wall. Around the corner on the back (green) wall is: The Descent Route Easy. Right arête of the cleft on its right side. Disappearing Crack 3+ Crack in the green slab and left of the initial arête of Cleft Butty.
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The Right (South East) Pinnacle. Cleft Right Wall Starting at the arête opposite Stone Age and Lancet Crack, deep in the cleft.
High Steppa 6a The short pocketed wall above a dodgy landing The other side of the arête is easy but also has a poor landing. Breaking Waves 7a+ Centre of wall The Wall 4+ Wall left of the arête. Poor. Cleft Right Traverse 6b Traverse from right arête to left arête.
Green Arête 5+ Slanting arête climbed on the right. Grrrr. Pervert’s Crack 4+ Well named – to the ledge Pair in a Cubicle 7a *** From the undercut pocket. The face split by two slanting shelves to the ledge. It’s not over until it’s over. The Governor 7A+ * Start on the low ledge right of Pair in a Cubicle and go straight up the slanting ledges Jim's Problem 7C+ ** SDS. Over the bulge using a dish as an undercut/kneebar to a very, very round finish.
Thelma 7b+ * The bulge in-between Jim’s Problem and Pablo. Pablo 7a+ ** The blunt arête using a sidepull. Pair in a Cubicle Traverse 7b * Long, low and pumpy R - L traverse along the break to finish up Pair in a Cubicle.
Hanging Nose 6b The hanging nose at the entrance to the rift. Slot Machine 6b Centre of the overlap using the high slot Rock the Joint 6a+ Rock onto the foothold at the right edge of the overlap. Cleft Buttress 3 Mantel the obvious ledge. A track leads down from here back towards the main track and goes into a trench like feature. This is the home for the Smartie Tube, a short tunnel through a buttress on the left of the path – pints scored for getting through – lots of points if you get your mat through
Hanging Nose A previously undocumented pinnacle between Cleft Buttress and Elephant Rock, the Atlantis Boulder can be found on an elevated grassy platform behind Cleft Buttress approx 50m NE and up and left from the Smartie Tube (see diag on P1). Lovely sunny spot and grassy landing
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Atlantis Boulder Several problems and lots of links/eliminates 6a to 7b. Developed by Mike Gray years ago so may need a little cleaning. One particularly good, long juggy problem - Man from Atlantis 6b ** from bowels of the crack/cave on its RHS but there is lots more. TBC.......
Walking up towards the long grassy break there is a major path junction and just before reaching the main track is a very high tower on the left. This is Castle Rock. On the right side of the lawn is the long low wall of The Niche.
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Castle Rock A lot of rock but not much of it gives good bouldering. However, there are a few good problems and they provide useful warm-ups for the sterner fair across the way. The first problem is around the back of the rounded nose at the left-hand end.
Big Holes 4+ (Not on Diag) Big holes then right to the ledge. Bottoms Up 5 (HVS5b) Centre of the bulge on the nose Moat Rib 5 * Fun pocket pulls just left of the big crack. Castle Traverse 6a+ * From the crack to the gully staying low.
Moat Wall Moat Wall 5+ Small niche to the right. Undercut and long reach. To the right is a big crack. Desperation Crack Variation 5+ Pocket to protuberance then sloping pockets and up to top break. Escape to crack. High. Well over to the right is a ribbed wall
Ribbed Wall Left 5+ * SDS. Pocket and up the ribbed wall. Ribbed Crack 5 Same start then into and up the crack. Ribbed Wall Right 6a * Small holds lead up the wall right of the crack. Escape right.
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The Niche The chalk covered wall opposite. Problems are described stating just to the left of the left arête. Some are very good and, of course, there’s The Long Haul. Can be damp after rain.
Niche Ending 6a+ SDS. Slopers lead up. Niche Arête 6c ** SDS. The blunt prow. Climbed as a double dyno off low pockets is 7a+ Niche Traverse 7b (Not on Diag) SDS. Arête to dish below the top then cross wall at mid-height to niche (past pocket) and up
Niche Wall 7a+ * SDS. Climb the thin wall between the arête and the flake. Eliminate, but tricky and good Left Flake 6a+ * The left flake in the leaning wall to the rounded jug starting at flat jug. A SDS at break and up flake without jug on right is 7a. Jumper's Dyno aka Niche Dyno 7c ** SDS. Dyno from the low jug slot all the way to the high jug slot. Rumoured to have been done to the ledge above! Right Flake 6a+ ** The right flake in the leaning wall to the top jug slot Niche Corner 6b+ * The left wall of the corner, right of the flakes, via a pocket. Niche Roof 6b * The undercut right wall of the corner starting on jugs under the roof. An eliminate without the sandy jug is 6c. Niche Market 6b The arête of the roof via slopey holds to the finish of Niche Roof. Lots of eliminates are possible. Niche Mantel 6a+ Mantel up the slopey break right of the roof. Entertaining for spectators! Other options are available.
Sloping Nasty Things 6c+ As it says. Needs a brush. More Sloping Nasty Things 6b+ Less nasty. Left of the crack. Needs a brush.
Right of the first crack is:
The ‘up’ problems are worthwhile but in need of a good brushing. Niche Runnel 6c Just right of the crack. Step On 6b Low break. Link features to sloping pockets. The Long Haul 7b *** Starting at the far right of the buttress, traverse the slopey break left to difficult moves around the corners. Finish up Niche Arête. The Short Haul 7a
As for the Long Haul but finish at the jugs after climbing the first arête.
Cracking the Ribs 5+ Ribs and small pocket up wall right of the second crack Slight Difference 5 Up wall past the break. The Whole Hole 5 Right side of the wall past a hole.
